


Indecision

by fmpsimon



Category: Avatar: Legend of Korra
Genre: F/M, Fluff, MaKorra, Romance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-10-21
Updated: 2016-10-21
Packaged: 2018-08-23 19:51:27
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,446
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8340490
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/fmpsimon/pseuds/fmpsimon
Summary: Mako's in a slump and Bolin is determined to find out why, and witnesses a private moment in the process.





	

            Bolin stepped into the living room, stretching and yawning wide.  After another night of partying, he was still exhausted.  He saw Mako standing by the window.  He frowned.  How long was this going to go on, anyway?  "Hey, what's _with_ you?"

            Mako turned his head, a little surprised, but showing very little emotion.  "Huh?  Oh, nothing.  Just thinking."

            Bolin tilted his head back in exasperation.  "Korra, right?"  Mako folded his arms, deepening his frown.  "Why don't you just _tell_ her how you feel?"  He grabbed a piece of fruit and started eating.

            Mako rolled his eyes.  "It's not that simple."

            "It is for me and Opal," Bolin smirked.

            "Well, you and Opal aren't me and Korra."  Mako gave his brother an irritated look.  "Don't you have anything better to do?"

            Bolin chewed noisily on the fruit.  "Not really," he said lazily.  "Besides, all your moping around is really bringing down my mood."  That was true.  Mako had been listless for the last week.  First it had been because Korra and Asami had gone off together.  But when they returned, his mood didn't lighten at all.  "We're supposed to be _celebrating_ ," Bolin went on, "but you're just... _blah_."  He pantomimed his best impression of a mopey Mako.

            "Would you stop?" Mako snapped, though the corners of his mouth twitched as he tried to stifle his laughter.

            "Ha!"  He pointed in grandiose fashion.  "I _knew_ there was a smile in there somewhere!"  Mako shook his head, mildly exasperated with his younger brother.

            "What are you doing today, anyway?" Mako asked.

            "Going to see Korra," he said, nonchalantly tossing the fruit away.  Mako's face lit up ever so slightly.  "We're going to do some bending practice.  I've been slacking," he added sheepishly.

            Mako raised an eyebrow.  "Maybe I'll...tag along."

            "Don't you have detective work to do?" Bolin said.

            Mako squirmed a little.  "I'm, er, taking some time off of it, actually."  Bolin gave him a puzzled look.  "Just for a little while," Mako elaborated, "until I...figure some things out."

            "Like what?"  Bolin eyed him.  His brother was hiding something.  He hated secrets.

            Mako waved his hand dismissively.  "Never mind.  Let's go," he said, throwing his scarf around his neck and heading for the door.

            Bolin narrowed his eyes, but eventually shrugged and went along with him.  They didn't talk much on the way to the dojo.  Mako seemed to be a man on a mission.  They stopped outside the door, and Bolin turned to his brother.  "Promise me you won't be weird, okay?"

            "What are you talking about?" Mako scoffed.  "She's my best friend."  He pulled on the door.  "And for the record, I'm never weird."

            Bolin sighed and followed his brother in.  Korra was practicing her forms and turned when she heard the door.  "Hey, Korra!" he called.

            She did a double-take.  "Mako!  Erm, hi."  Korra gave a small wave.  "I wasn't expecting you.  Bolin didn't mention you were coming."  She shot him a nasty look.

            Bolin started backing out of the room.  "Hey, maybe you guys need a moment alone.  I'll just...erm...go over here."  He stepped out of the room, but it wasn't far enough that he couldn't hear them.  He peeked in through the blinds.  Wow, they were awkward, both of them standing there, fidgeting, barely able to look the other in the eye.

            Mako spoke up first.  "Erm, how was your vacation?"

            "It was good!"  Korra recoiled, as if she had come on too strong.  She gave him a small smile.  "It was nice to get away after all that…"  She trailed off and bit her lip.

            Mako didn't quite know what to do with his hands.  He folded his arms, he unfolded them, he straightened his shirt--until finally he let them rest at his side.  "Well, you look rested."  Bolin smacked his palm to his face.  His brother was many things, but smooth wasn't one of them.

            Korra smiled crookedly.  "Erm, thanks?  I think."  She put her hands on her hips.  Her jitters seemed to be dissipating.  "So, what have you been up to?  I stopped by your office, but you weren't there.  Lin said _you_ were on a break."

            "You came to see me?" he asked, almost in disbelief.  She nodded.  He rubbed his neck, taking a step back.  "Yeah, about that.  I'm probably not going back there."  Bolin's eyes widened.  He was _quitting_ the police?

            Korra echoed his thoughts.  "You're quitting?  Why?" she said.  "You were great at it!"

            Mako shook his head, averting his eyes briefly.  "I figured out pretty quickly that all I was there was a glorified babysitter.  Lin wasn't going to give me any real police work anyway."

            "That's not true!" Korra said, incredulous.

            "She pretty much said so," he said, with a nod.  "And she's never been one to lie."

            "That's true," she said thoughtfully.  "So, what are you going to do, then?"

            He looked down at her.  "Well, that's why I came to see you.  I've been thinking about it for a while."  He drew in a shaky breath, and then exhaled.  "It wasn't an easy decision, because this is my home."

            Korra crossed her arms, her brow furrowed.  "Mako, what are you saying?"

            He gave her a sad look.  "I'm leaving Republic City."  Bolin stood outside the room, agape.   _Leaving_?!  Where was he going?  And why?  Korra was speechless, standing across from him, blinking.  "I need a change.  And there's too many bad memories here."

            "Good memories too, right?" Korra sputtered.  His expression was pained when he looked at her.  "Well, what about Bolin?  Is he going with you?"

            Mako furrowed his brow.  "He doesn't know.  I haven't been able to tell him yet."  He clenched his fists, staring at the ground.  "He's not going to take it very well."   _That_ was an understatement.  Bolin wanted to go charging in there and demand to know why his brother hadn't told him yet.

            "Is it because of me?" Korra said, breaking the silence.

            He grasped her hands quickly.  "No!  Of course not!"  They both stared down at their overlapping fingers, and then quickly pulled away.  "To be honest, you're the reason I've stayed this long."  Her cheeks flushed.

            "Thanks a lot," Bolin grumbled.  "What am I, chopped liver?"

            She tugged on his scarf affectionately.  "It's not going to be the same here without you."  She squinted at it, biting her lip, smoothing out the scarf over his chest.  "Sorry," she said softly.  "You kind of...caught me off guard."

            "I know it's sudden."  He bowed his head, catching her fingers with his own.  "I was working up the courage to tell you.  And then I had to convince myself that I was doing the right thing."

            She nodded, tears in her eyes.  "You have to do what's right for you."  She straightened his scarf.  "Please take care of yourself."

            Their foreheads touched.  "You too," he said.  Bolin wanted to look away.  This was a private moment--he was _spying_ on them--but he just couldn't avert his eyes.  Korra reached up, placing a hand on his face, brushing her thumb over his jawline.  She looked from his lips to his eyes, and without a word, their lips met.  As the kiss deepened, Mako figured out what to do with his hands and pulled her close, and Korra tangled her fingers in his hair.

            Bolin blushed and finally turned away.  He sat down and waited.  Several minutes later, Mako strolled through the door.  His face was flushed, his hair was completely messed up, and his scarf was gone entirely.  Mako's goofy expression changed to one of guilt when he spotted Bolin.  "Sorry, man.  You can go in now."

            Bolin jumped to his feet.  "Just one second!  What's all this about you leaving Republic City?"

            Mako blinked at him for a moment, then a grin spread across his face.  "Huh?  What are you talking about?"  He touseled his brother's hair.  "I'm not going anywhere."  He walked out.

            "Wait, what?"  He stared after Mako, then sighed and shook his head.  He stepped into the gym and nearly collided with Korra, red scarf in hand.  "Woah!"  He caught her by her shoulders.

            "Sorry!" she said breathlessly.

            "Are you ready to do some bending?" he said, pumping his fist in the air.

            She folded the scarf up in her arms, sidestepping him.  "Erm, about that," she began, and he noticed how flushed her cheeks were, "I'm gonna have to cancel."  She started jogging away and called back, "Let's do it tomorrow!"

            Bolin dropped his arms, defeated.  He shook his head, but couldn't keep the smile off his face.  Things were starting to get back to normal.


End file.
